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Art & Culture

Why Tracee Ellis Ross Uses Her Platform to Uplift Black Voices and Inspire Collective Action

Image by Myesha Evon

25 Jul '25
By The Shift
25 Jul '25
By The Shift

The Shift highlights women’s stories through the lens of impact. It hopes to contextualize history and inspire action.

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Tracee Ellis Ross is an award-winning actress, producer, and co-CEO and founder of Pattern Beauty. She’s known for playing characters that feel like family, leading with honesty, humor and joy in everything she does, and celebrating the beauty of Blackness–on screen, in business, and beyond.

The Shift:

Who is a woman who has inspired or mentored you, and what lessons from her influence have stayed with you?

Tracee:

Brittany Packnett Cunningham. There is a way that she merges the present and the future with a very informed understanding of the past.  I’m comforted by the way that she does this through the lens of Blackness, humanity and heart. It inspires me to learn, be active, and stay connected to community.

 

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Tracee Ellis Ross is honored as part of The Shift’s “90 Plus One” list, which recognizes influential women shaping contemporary culture. With Gloria Steinem featured on the inaugural print cover, the list pays homage to her 91 years of activism by highlighting a powerhouse community of women shifting culture.